Had to start sometime I guess! I didn’t do a whole heck of a lot. More like prep work, I figure.

First, I took my 1×6 plank of pine and cut two 36” lengths. The bench is just a hair over 36” tall so the vise will be just off the floor.

Next, I drew out the design I wanted. Nothing too fancy, just a slight curve (I drew it without a compass or round object) and a few straight lines. I decided since I will be gluing the two boards together to make the chop, why not practice bevels by paring down the edge of the top board to 45. I used a trick I saw on am episode of The Woodwrights Shop and measured the thickness of the board (3/4”) in from the side. By paring away to the line and the edge, I will make a perfect 45 bevel. In theory.

Then I marked 12” down from the top of the chop for the placement of the whole for the screw.I took some sage advice offered by David a while back and beefed up the hardware from a single 3/8”x10” carriage bolt to a 5/8” threaded rod that is 24” long. Only cost me $5 at the BORG! Score! Getting it to work and making the various parts…that will keep me up at night.

Anyway, with all the pencil work and planning put down, I glued the two sides and clamped it up. So tomorrow I will have a proto-chop ready for shaping. This I think, will be the easy part…

Can I just say how much fun (and how comfortable) it is working on something on the workbench I built from scratch? So rewarding! If I wasn’t hooked on woodworking before, I sure am now!